There is a giant motorized inflatable mouse in front of the old Norge building on the corner of 6th and Bainbridge. It must be about 10 or 15 feet tall. There were also some union guys out there picketing something.

Anyone know the story?

It's some union's anti-scab rat or something; they haul it out from time to time to highlight the plight of landlords in the city who aren't able to afford to pay union wages, so they have to hire non-union contracts.

It's actually a nice gesture on their part, when you think about it: they let you know which business you should frequent and acknowledge that they're going the way of the dinosaur at the same time.

HAHA nice Simon,

Yea they called that "scabby the rat", but unlike last century when unions were good, I go out of my way to patronize "scabs" and their businesses.

A few weeks ago they were standing outside Jakes in Manayunk holding a sign "Shame on Jakes" for using non-union labor in their new building. I made sure I got a tabe outside and sat there and sipped wine and smiled at them all day.

I used to be all pro-union growing up because I though they were an assett to "fighting the man" but they are so much worst for the middle class that its a disgrace. The X-Games were awesome when they were here, but said they will never come back because the unions force them to do so much unimportant crap. The same with too many conventions at the convention center. THe unions have WAY too much power in this city but the mindless will keep voting Democratic over and over, and then wonder why their cable bill is so high (Waterless toilets in the Comcast center anyone)

Now we sit back and wait till Zete comes in and shows us the greatness of the Philly unions.

Thanks for the clarification. Has the oversized portable blow-up rat taken the place of traditional violence and intimidation? I was under the impression that a business owner in this city who used non union labor would be subject to significantly more informal punishment than just a blowup mickey mouse on their door step.

This is interesting b/c I met someone recently who happens to be working on that building. According to what I heard (which is totally second-hand, I admit), they tried to work with the unions and brought in a limited number of union workers...and the guys didn't even show up for the whole job they were given. I love that they have the time to picket with the rat, but it seems they don't have the time to show up when they were given a job at the same place!

__________________
-Jess.
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The first times they used it a couple of years ago, they sent along thugs to intimidate people, but that may have fallen by the wayside. It's also possible that the rat is a cheaper alternative for small projects, as it means the unions don't have to pay their thugs to go out and stand around all day.

I'm all for organized labor and collective bargaining, but the unions have been a joke in this country since the mid-1930's. It's one thing to protect the workers; it's another thing entirely to demand a bigger piece of the pie every year to justify your own existence.

I wish I had a bb gun every time I see it. Anyone got a big cat? The unions in this town make total a**es of themselves with that thing. What worse thing for a visitor to see than a bunch of fat, foulmouth, dirty, lazy, chainsmokers pacing in front of a blow up rat with their buttcracks showing. That rat and the picketing should be outlawed!